Download Polish Catholics in America

Kasia Kujawski
Research Paper
LSP 110-106
Polish Catholics in America
Throughout the 19th century, many Poles migrated to the United States and
created an immense, culturally rich Polish-Roman Catholic community. The partitioning
and lack of identity of Poland eventually caused many Poles to migrate to America,
where they were able to create a thriving community that resides primarily in Chicago;
they were able to worship freely in this newfound community in America. Poles have
even made their mark in the world of Roman Catholics. Interestingly, Poles are also
responsible for the creation of “American Catholicism’s only major schismatic group, the
Polish National Catholic Church in America.”1 The split in the Polish church came about
as a result of disagreements over the extent to which the Polish church should assimilate
to the American context. Despite the schism, there are millions of Polish Roman
Catholics all over the world, and the “Polonia” community in Chicago continues to
thrive.
Throughout the eighteenth century, Poland was partitioned by Russia, Prussia,
and Austria three separate times—in 1772, 1793, and 1795—until it essentially
disappeared off the map. It did not regain independence as a nation until the end of World
War I. As a result, the Poles felt a lack of identity. They no longer had land to call their
own. This eventually led to the migration of Poles into the United States of America—
specifically Chicago. Chicago was incredibly appealing to the emigrating Poles; a
majority of the city was comprised of foreign-born people, and the emigrant population
was growing. Chicago became a “second Warsaw” for Poles; this is still true today, as
Chicago is the largest Polish city by population, outside of Poland.2
It is often referred to as “Polonia,” which is the generic term used for the Polish
Diaspora existing outside of the country’s borders. Chicago was— and still is—
geographically placed in a fantastic location; it is near the Great Lakes, and has an
impeccable transportation and trade network. However, the first Polish settlement in
America appeared a solid distance away from Chicago—in Texas.
The Poles that eventually formed the first settlement in America—Panna Marya—
came to Texas with the first significant Polish migration. It was called the Galveston
Emigration, and it took place throughout 1851-1855. 3 In 1855, Peter Kiolbassa and his
parents came to Texas with the Emigration; Kiolbassa would eventually become the
leader of Chicago Polonia. He contributed to the development of the Panna Marya
settlement and eventually travelled and attended school around Texas. When the Civil
War broke, he joined the Texas Cavalry and was eventually taken to Illinois by Union
forces. Incidentally, Kiolbassa brought the Polish Roman Catholic heritage with him.
Kiolbassa wanted to form a Polish community in Chicago, similar to the one that
blossomed in Texas; in order to do this, he called on his friend Reverend Leopold
Moczygemba, who was the pastor back at Panna Marya.
Father Leopold arrived in Chicago in the spring of 1864 and was greeted with
abundant joy by the Polish community; the Poles would finally have someone to bring
Polish Catholicism in Chicago. Prior to the arrival of Moczygemba, Poles did not have a
Polish pastor to lead mass, or a Polish church in which to worship God. They simply
worshipped in whatever parish was closest to their neighborhood. The presence of a
pastor eventually led to the creation of the Society of Saint Stanislaus Kostka, who is
Poland’s patron saint. The officers of the society were “Smarzewski-Schermann,
president; Peter Kiolbassa, vice-president; Joseph Niemczewski, secretary; and two
committee members, John Arkuszewski and Andrew Kurr.” 4 The society drew up plans
to create the first Polish Catholic Church in Chicago in the village known as Stanislowo.
Ethnic neighborhoods frequently took the names of the ethnic churches that were built;
the same went for the Polish neighborhoods in Chicago.
In 1873, there was yet another advancement in the settling of Poles in America. In
that year, the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America (PRCUA) was created. [4] It was
created in order to help and unite Polish immigrants. It helps Polish Roman Catholics
maintain their Polish heritage, preserve “spiritual values,” and it also strengthens the
cultural bonds between the United States and Poland. Today, PRCUA performs
religious, charitable, educational and civic work. 5 With the motto "for God and country,"
the PRCUA follows the rules of the Roman Catholic church, promotes Catholic action
and supports the Roman Catholic Church and its clergy. 6
With the aid of the Society of Saint Stanislaus Kostka, Kiolbassa and
Smarzewski-Schermann were able to form a Polish community that would thrive in
Chicago for years to come. However, the beginning of the Polish settlement was gradual;
Kiolbassa was called back to the front during the Civil War, so the formation of the
community was left largely up to Smarzewski-Schermann, who had other responsibilities
to tend to.7 Nevertheless, he occupied his time with becoming an agent for an immigrant
agency, which was responsible for bringing thousands of Poles in to the Stanislowo
neighborhood. Without the formation of the society and the persistence of Kiolbassa,
Reverend Moczygemba, and Smarzewski-Schermann, the Polish community may not
have been as prominent in Chicago, or even America, today. The Society and Parish of
Saint Stanislaus Kostka lay “at the heart of Chicago’s American Polonia,” and became
the birthplace of all of the Polish parishes that followed. 8 With the influx of Poles
coming into Chicago to escape the terror of the World Wars in Europe, there were fiftyseven Polish Roman Catholic parishes in the Chicago archdiocese by the end of World
War II.
At some point the Saint Stanislaus Kostka parish was the largest parish in the
city— and even in the nation— and it was comprised of approximately 40,000
parishioners. 9 Located in Stanislowo, it served as a center for religious, social, economic,
and social function for early immigrant Poles in the early 1860s. Because of the vast
number of parishioners at the church, many Poles broke into factions and broke away
from Saint Stanislaus. A particular faction moved away from Saint Stanislaus, “bought 36
city lots in 1877, and placed itself under the care of Rev. Vincent Barszynski,” 10 Thus,
the Saint Hedwig Parish was created.
St. Hedwig parish is set apart from the other Polish parishes in Chicago because
of its violent and colorful history. When the parish was created, Rev. Vincent Barzynski
named his brother, Jozef Barzynski, as the pastor, and Father Anton Kozlowski was given
the title of associate pastor. A conflict immediately arose after the leaders of the parish
were named—Barzynski was interested in the Americanization of the Polish Roman
Catholics, while Kozlowski leaned towards the nationalist immigrant Polish view of the
church. 11 A majority of the Poles in Saint Hedwig sided with Father Anton Kozlowski’s
view. As threats of violence and parishioners rioted to kill the priest, Archbishop Feehan
removed Kozlowski from the church.
After his removal from Saint Hedwig’s, Father Kozlowski took his followers and
built a new parish a few blocks away from Saint Hedwig’s. This new congregation
eventually became a part of the Polish National Catholic Church. There is yet to be an
accurate biographical account that illustrates the life of Father Anton Kozlowski;
however, scholarly studies can “trace the Kozlowski-Old Catholic-Independent
connection.” 12 This is significant to the history of Polish Catholics because these
“Independents” in the Polish Catholic Congress eventually led to the schism that divided
the Polish Church.
After many Roman Catholic Poles returned to St. Hedwig’s in the 1890’s, it
became clear that the church was vastly overcrowded. Saint Hedwig was designed by
Chicago Architect Adolphus Druiding, and was called “strictly Roman in its style of
architecture;” however, there are many elements of Polish Baroque that are illustrated in
the church’s design.13 The Baroque period is sacred to the Poles because it represents the
“golden age” of Poland—the time before the country was partitioned, when it was still an
independent nation. The church is very beautiful on the inside and out; the Baroque style
is conveyed through the elaborate decoration; the Roman style is also preserved through
the high, rounded ceilings. The interior of the church is filled with “paintings created by
Chicago artist John A. Mallin in 1938 for the parish’s fiftieth anniversary.”14 His
paintings were reminiscent of the religious images that are painted in the Baroque style,
and prominent in Polish Roman Catholic Churches all over the world. The Chicago Poles
of Chicago loved Mallin’s work, so they put him in charge of decorating numerous other
Polish parishes, including St. Mary of the Angels, St. Ignatius, St. Basil’s, and St.
Hyacinth.15
A majority of the Polish National and Roman Catholic churches are in the
Renaissance style, which is sacred to the Poles. The Renaissance and Baroque style are
both reminiscent of the glory days of Poland—when it was still a country, ruled by its
own government, rich with culture and history. A prime example of the Polish
Renaissance style in Chicago is “St. Mary of the Angels, with a soaring dome to rival St.
Peter’s in Rome.” 16 Only three churches in the archdiocese of Chicago weren’t
Renaissance or Baroque style; these churches were Gothic. The Baroque style is also
commonly found in Polish churches. This style features ornate, elaborate designs, full of
color and detail; there are also paintings of religious figures. The Polish churches in
Chicago provided beautiful places of worship for the Poles, greatly contrasting to the
surrounding urban environment.
Although the Polish community seemed to be thriving and growing at a steady
rate, there were many problems and controversies that faced the ethnically Polish
parishes. A major controversy that arose in the late nineteenth century was the conflict
between the Stanislawowo and Trojcowo neighborhoods. Because the Saint Stanislaus
parish had rapidly expanded since its creation in 1867, a second place of worship was
built in 1873. This second church became the Holy Trinity church, and the controversy
that arose with the building of this new church was that Rev. Vincent Barzynski refused
to establish Holy Trinity as a separate parish. 7 Many wanted the Holy Trinity church to
be a part of the St. Stanislaus Parish, while some wanted it to remain a separate parish.
The controversy sparked a heated battle over the next twenty years, with issues of “Polish
identity, lay control of church finances, and the right of congregations to maintain title to
parish property.”18 Separating the Holy Trinity parish would allow the Polish community
to further expand in Chicago, which would be much more beneficial to the Poles of
Chicago.
Another controversy that was ignited within the Polish parishes of Chicago was
the issue of identity. As experienced by many ethnic groups that came to Chicago to
establish ethnic communities, Polish people also struggled with maintaining their Polish
heritage while also practicing Catholicism in America. During the Polish Catholic
Congresses, there were major debates over God and Country, which was brought about
by the “upsurge of thousands of ‘Independents,’ then defying episcopal and pastoral
authority.”19 The Polish Catholic Congress struggled through resolving “fundamental
tensions involving religiosity and nationalism,” which was the major dividing issue that
led to a schism among Polish Catholics, and Catholic Poles. 20 Furthermore, many ethnic
groups fell victim to the transformation of “Americanization,” which illustrates the theory
the “melting pot;” ethnic groups assimilate to American culture, and are purged of their
cultural and national influences. Many Poles in America, however, were not quite ready
to let go of their roots; the controversy over staying in touch with foreign heritage and
culture or becoming new “Americans” eventually led to one of the most colossal schisms
in American Catholic history.
The schism originated from the conflict between the pro-Barzynski and proKozlowski factions that initially divided St. Hedwig’s church. Specifically, Kozlowski
empathized with Old Catholic movement in Europe, which included a series of churches
that separated from the Roman Catholic Church over issues that were largely concerned
with Papal authority. This caused the Poles to be alarmed, as Kozlowski had the tendency
to have differing ideals from those of the Roman Catholic Church; rightfully so, as
Kozlowski was eventually excommunicated from a Roman Catholic parish, became a
bishop of the Polish Old Catholic Church. 21 Once it was created, Kozlowski became a
part of the Polish National Catholic Church. Kozlowski’s followers were those who were
typically associated with being “Independents.” After Kozlowski broke away from St.
Hedwig’s, the Old Catholics consecrated him in 1897; this led to Kozlowski’s founding
All Saints Independent, which was part of the Old Catholic Church.22 It eventually
became a part of the Polish National Catholic Church.
The beginnings of the Polish National Catholic Church can be traced to
Nanticoke, Pennsylvania. A church named “Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Parish” was
under control of Father Hodur, who would eventually become the founder of the Polish
National Catholic Church. In 1897, Father Hodur organized the St. Stanislaus Bishop and
Martyr Parish in Scranton, Pennsylvania; he entitled it the “Kosciol Narodowy [National
Church Program].” 23 This new church had different views on papal authority and
distribution of power in the church, and the “Weekly Straz (Guard)” would serve as a tool
to spread the news of the newly created faction of the Catholic Church. As word of the
Polish National Catholic Church spread, new parishes popped up all over Pennsylvania
and eventually leaked over into the Midwest, and these new churches associated
themselves with the term “Polish National.”
In September of 1904, the First General Synod of the Polish National Catholic
Church was held in Scranton, and it featured several decisive actions that set apart the
PNCC: “a decisive break with the Roman Catholic Church, election of Father Hodur as
Bishop, Straz as the official organ/newspaper, election of a Great Church Council of
church and laity and the adoption of a Church Constitution for the Church.” 24 With this,
the Polish National Catholic Church began gaining much more recognition and attention
from the Polish Independents. Today, the PNCC has approximately 25,000 members in
the United States, with five major dioceses. 25 The church elects its own bishops, and has
a Polish “nationalistic” background, although the church welcomes anyone and everyone.
However, one must not overlook the fact that although the PNCC was able to establish
itself in America, there are millions of Polish Roman Catholics all over the world; indeed,
a majority of the worshipping Poles in Chicago belong to the Roman Catholic Church.
Through the struggle and strife of coming to America and trying to establish an
identity, the Poles were able to form a thriving community in Chicago and the United
States, while staying true to their culture, heritage, and religion. Although the Polish
Catholic church is still divided, Poles outside of the mother country maintain the identity
of “Polonia,” a united group of people. The colorful history of the Polish National
Catholic Church has certainly attained recognition around the world, and has even
opened the doors for other Catholic schismatic groups that associate with the Old
Catholic Church to start their own Catholic denominations. There are still millions of
Roman Catholic Poles all over the world, and the Vatican has even elected a Polish pope
in the past, John Paul II. Needless to say, Poles have made their mark in the history of
Chicago, and will continue to thrive in the United States.
1
Parot, Joseph John. 𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ Catholics in Chicago, 1850-1920: A Religious History.
(DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois UP, 1981), 7.
2
Polish Catholics in Chicago, 1850-1920: A Religious History, 14.
3
Polish Catholics in Chicago, 1850-1920: A Religious History, 19.
4
Polish Catholics in Chicago, 1850-1920: A Religious History, 24.
5
"PRCUA Home." PRCUA Home. PRCUA, n.d. Web.
"PRCUA Home." PRCUA Home. PRCUA, n.d. Web.
7
Polish Catholics in Chicago, 1850-1920: A Religious History, 24.
8
McNamara, Denis R., and James Morris. Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of
Catholic Chicago. (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2005), 54.
9
Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago, 54.
10
Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago, 62.
11
Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago, 62.
12
Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago, 62.
13
Polish Catholics in Chicago, 1850-1920: A Religious History, 103.
14
Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago, 63.
15
Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago, 63.
16
Skerrett, Ellen, Edward R. Kantowicz, and Steven M. Avella. Catholicism, Chicago
Style. (Chicago: Loyola UP, 1993), 21.
17
Catholicism, Chicago Style, 153.
18
Catholicism, Chicago Style, 153.
19
Polish Catholics in Chicago, 1850-1920: A Religious History, 96.
20
Polish Catholics in Chicago, 1850-1920: A Religious History, 96.
21
Polish Catholics in Chicago, 1850-1920: A Religious History, 121.
22
"Our History." Polish National Catholic Church. N.p., n.d. Web.
23
"Our History." Polish National Catholic Church. N.p., n.d. Web.
24
"Our History." Polish National Catholic Church. N.p., n.d. Web.
25
"Our History." Polish National Catholic Church. N.p., n.d. Web.
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